DEADLY BLESSING

World premiere CD release of exciting early James Horner horror soundtrack! Wes Craven directs in 1981, Maren Jensen, Susan Buckner, (young) Sharon Stone, Jeff East, Lisa Hartman, Lois Nettleton, Ernest Borgnine star. Early James Horner score written for large string section plus woodwinds, percussion, piano and chorus. Craven’s tale is about a former Hittite (a fictitious religious sect similar to the Amish) who left the faith to marry an outsider. Shunned, the man is mysteriously murdered and his young widow and her out-of-town girlfriends try to maintain the farm amidst a bizarre world of ancient practices, strange beliefs and a possible supernatural curse. Composer Horner writes to this satanic world with suspenseful strings, now turning violent, now turning creepy, always unsettling. When the action explodes, chorus joins in the rhythmic excitement. Unusually, the film uses almost all of Horner’s music where it was originally intended. Intrada is presenting this score, courtesy of Universal, from the only surviving complete set of 1/4” stereo elements in largely good condition. These precious ten rolls of stereo tape were originally dubbed at the slow tape speed of 7 1/2 i.p.s. and had seen better days, but they were complete, including all takes, pickups and choral overlays. The result is a satisfying listen to one of Horner’s most important previously unreleased scores. Tim Greiving supplies informative notes, Kay Marshall offers dramatic packaging. Dan Wallin records and mixes, James Horner composes, conducts. Intrada Special Collection CD available while quantities and interest remain.